U.S. Military Body Composition Standards – Fair or Culture Bias?

Physical fitness is a key factor for any service member, and not just those directly involved in combat. Maintaining armored vehicles, slinging artillery rounds and managing logistics all take strength, and in today’s asymmetrical wars there’s no such thing as a non-combat role anyway – insurgents can and do strike at logistics convoys and routine personnel moves just as often as they attack foot or mounted patrols. Every service person has to be physically up to the job. That’s why every professional military force in the world has rigorous fitness standards enforced by regular testing.

The US military goes further, though. Uniquely, every service also subjects its members to body composition tests to measure the ratio of fat to muscle in their bodies. There are military appearance tests, too – again, these are unique to the US forces. In the US Marine Corps, for example, anyone who doesn’t meet their commander’s idea of a proper military appearance can be assigned to remedial training even if their height/weight ratio and body composition are within the required limits. Often the reason behind this is the way the Marine’s body fat is distributed.

It’s easy to see the logic behind the body composition standards. Surplus body fat is just extra weight that has to be carried around. It can also lead to a whole range of health problems that could theoretically reduce readiness and effectiveness. Is the US military going too far, though? Other countries don’t feel they’re necessary. The British sometimes make a half-hearted attempt to tell their troops about Body Mass Index, but nothing much ever happens about it and in general they don’t care what shape a soldier is as long as he or she can pass the required fitness tests. Of course if a soldier can’t march 8 miles in 2 hours with full kit, or manage their age band standards for push-ups, sit-ups and a best effort run, they’ll be in a world of hurt.

Different militaries have different cultures, and that extends to physical fitness as much as it does to anything else. The US forces have traditionally put more of a premium on upper body strength than many others; it’s very noticeable that US troops tend to be a lot more bulked out than the Brits or French, who tend to focus more on running endurance. In a lot of ways the American military is much more standards-driven than its allies, so setting standards for body composition fits in with that culture. Military appearance standards are a trickier one. The USMC’s own regulations on the subject acknowledge that there are Marines who meet all the other standards but still don’t present a proper military appearance. Should a fit, healthy, effective Marine get an adverse report, or even be discharged, just because they’re a funny shape? Most NATO allies would say no. The USMC says yes.

It’s not likely the Pentagon is going to change these standards any time soon, but maybe it’s time they were looked at. Even with the military shrinking as it is now, it’s always a challenge to recruit and keep the right people. In my personal experience, I’ve seen soldiers who have had problems meeting the height/weight/BMI standards but excelled in their jobs, and those who looked absolutely squared away and professional who couldn’t fight their way out of a box. Who should the military try to retain?

US Patriot is a veteran owned and operated US-based retailer supplying boots, uniforms, apparel and gear to military and law enforcement personnel. By soldiers for soldiers. Visit them online at uspatriottactical.com.

US Patriot is a veteran owned and operated US-based retailer supplying boots, uniforms, apparel and gear to military and law enforcement personnel. By soldiers for soldiers. Visit them online at uspatriottactical.com.

I believe that the BCA has evolved due to time. Take a look on the body builder, Arnold to be considered the BIGGEST. but now he is small compared to. Big Ron and Cutler. There are so many other. Time change due to eating habits so should the BCA in the military.

Being part of the military I think its wrong to have a person fail due to ONLY BCA. I was going to type a long history essay on “bodybuilding”. But it’s just to much info. So 1900 average weight was 175-180. 1960 it was 230-250. Now day they was in the 297-320. And they keep getting bigger. Look they way we ate back then is not the same as we do now. Food has been diluted. Supplement and such are a must due to dilute food products. But that’s a different subject. Point is I pass the physical test, meaning able to run, do more push up, and sit ups then the ones that were within standards. Just like many other in the military that were kicked out due to only failing BCA.
Oh yeah the lineman in football. They are super fit yet huge. They change as well, Enough said!!!!!!!!